Delivering cinematograph films for exhibition



E I. WAY. DELIVERING CINEMATOGRAPH FILMS FOR EXHIBITION- APPLICATION FILED MAY23.192I.

PatentedSept. 19, 1922.

To all whom it may concern:

I omrso STATES 1,4z9,46a egreut oFFlca EDWARD JOHN WAY, OF JOHANNESBURG, TRANSVAAL, SOUTH AFRICA.

DELIVERING GINEMATOGRAPH FILMS FOR EXH IIBITION.

Application filed May 23,

Be it known that EDWARD J OHN WVAY, British subject, residing at 134C Cullinan Buildings, Simmonds Street, Johannesburg, Transvaal. Province of the Union of South Africa, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Delivering Cinematograph- Films for Exhibition, of'which the following is a specification.

The present invention has reference to the delivery of cinematograph film for exhibition and particularly to its delivery from the inner periphery of the unused coil so that upon it being-wound in the usual manner on the outer periphery of the used coil the latter is ready for re-exhibition without re-winding.

The object of the invention 1s to provide effective means for delivering the film synchronously with its rate of feeding through the projector.

The inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fi I is an elevation of apparatus embOdy1I1g this invention.

Fig. II is a plan of Fig. I.

Fig. 111 is a detached plan, and

Fig. IV a detached section of the control device hereafter described.

Referring to Fig. I, 1 indicates the projector through the gate 2v of which the film is fed by mechanism 3. 4 indicates the prime mover which is shown as a hand crank and which is positively connected to the feed mechanism 3 to drive the same. 5 indicates the unused coil mounted upon a carrier 6, and 7 indicates the used coil wound upon a spool 8. The film is delivered from the internal periphery 9 of the unused coil 5 and is wound on the external periphery 10 of the used coil 7. The film is delivered from the coil 5 at the speed at which it is fed past the gate 2 and this is accomplished by employing driving mechanism for the carrier 6 which tends to deliver the film faster than is required. The

drivin mechanism is capable of slip and a brake 1s provided to cause such slip as will equalize the delivery speed to the feeding s eed.

The driving mechanism for the carrier 6 consists of a shaft 11 mountedon bearings 12 and driven positively from the prime mover 4 by gearing 13, 14:, 15. ()n said shaft 11 is fixed a friction wheel 16 which drives a friction disc provided, in the mech- 1921. Serial No. 471,837.

amsm shown, by the under surface 17 of the carrier 6, thereby rotating the same to causethe delivery of film from the coil 5.

The frict on wheel 16 is arranged to tend to drlve the friction disc at a somewhat greater speed than is required to deliver the film at the speed with which the latter passes the gate 2; but in order that such two speeds may be always nearly equal and the reduction of speed by the brake kept substantially constant, the friction wheel moves radially outwards as it is rotated. For thls purpose the shaft ll is arranged to sl dethrough, as well as to rotate in the bear1ngs12 and is squared at 18 to slide through its driving gear wheel 15. The radial position of the friction wheel 16 is governed by a roller 19 which touches the inner circumference of the coil 5. Said roller rests by an anti-friction device on the plane upper surface of the carrier 6 and is .held down by a weight 20. carried by an arm 21 secured to a block 22 by nuts 23. Said block 22 is attached to a carriage 24 by a pivot 25 which enables the arm 21 to be raised to allow the coil 5 to be placed in the carrier 6. The carriage 24 is mounted for radial sliding movement on a guide 26 and is provided with a depending fork 27 which engages a disc 28 rigid with the shaft 11. The roller 19 and friction wheel 16 are thus positively connected for radial movement. By means of the nuts 23 the relative radial positions of the roller and friction wheel can be adjusted.

The diameter of the friction wheel 16, its rotational speed and its radial position relatively to the disc17,.is conveniently arranged by calculating it to deliver film mathematically in synchronism with the feed mechanism 3 if it were positioned with its point of contact with the friction disc ex actly under the inner coil of the film 5; and fromthat to increase its diameter or decrease its radial distance from the centre of the disc 17 so that the speed of delivery of film, unrestricted by the brake, is, say one per cent greater than that required for such synchronous delivery.

This small excess: is neutralized by so braking the carrier as to cause an equivalent slip between the friction wheel 16 and the friction disc 17. A brake forthispur pose must be capable of maintaining a small braking force'with considerable regularity and be susceptible of fine adjustment. A simple arrangement which answers these requirements is that of smoothly finishing the peripheral surface 29 of the base of the carrier 5 and applying to the same a brake shoe 30 for which cork is a suitable material. The latter is carried on a plunger 31 sliding freely in a fixed tubular guide 32 and capable of being pressed to the surface 29 by a spring 33. A fine threaded screw 34 enables the compression of spring 33 to be varied, or the shoe 30 to be with drawn altogether from contact with the surface 29. A pointer 35 is frictionally clipped on the screw 34 to indicate the angular position of the same.

The carrier 6 is preferably horizontally disposed as shown, to facilitate placing the coil 5 upon it and also to permit the roller 19 to be retained in place by gravity.

When the friction wheel 16 is rotated as described in contact with the friction disc 17, it tends to move radially outwards of the latter. This tendency is greatest when the friction wheel is near the centre of the disc and lessens as the friction wheelmoves outwards; but it is generally suflicient, unless counteracted, to press the roller 19 too heavily against the inner coil of film 5, and by deforming such coil to cause the friction wheel 16 to run at a radial distance in excess of that necessary for the proper delivery of the film. This tendency is ac cordingly controlled by a device which exerts a decreasing restraining force on the carriage 24. This consists of a barrel 36 having a saucer shaped top chamber 37 of greater diameter and hung from the frame 26 by trunnions 38 so that it always remains vertical. The barrel is fitted with a freely moving plunger 39 so attached by a I cord 40 to the carriage 24 that it is about 'to move outwards.

at the bottom of the barrel when the carriage is at the inner end of its travel. Fine shot 41 (which functions as a liquid) or an actual liquid, is filled in above the plunger 39 to about the top of the barrel. At first the whole weight of the shot is sustained by the plunger, but as the carriage moves outwards and the plunger correspondingly rises, the shot is progressively discharged from the barrel into the saucer 37 and the pressure on the plunger becomes correspondingly less. Upon the carriage being returned when the coil is exhausted, the plunger is lowered and the shot falls back into the barrel. If the projector is so tilted that the carriage slides downwards when moving radially outwards, the restraining force is increased by increasing the charge of shot. On the other hand, when the apparatus is tilted to project the picture downwards and the carriage consequently travels uphill, it is necessary to assist the carriage Consequently the cord 40 in this case is doubled round idler pulleys 42 and attached to the outside of the carriage at 43. The plunger then descends as the carriage moves outwards and the pres;

sure of the shot on the same correspondingly increases. The best results are attained in all cases if the roller.19 lightly touches the coil 5.

In order to permit the insertion of the roller 19 into the interior of the coil 5, the initial internal diameter of said coil is made, greater than is at present usual with cinematograph coils, a diameter of about six inches having been found convenient. The spool 8 upon which the used coil 7 is wound is accordingly formed with a core 44 of about this diameter. The precise diameter of said core is however immaterial since the roller 19 automatically adjusts the friction wheel 16 to whatever inner diameter of coil is placed upon the carrier 6. Said core is also made collapsible in order to facilitate the removal of the used coil from it, and'for this purpose the construction described in my co-pending application filed May 23, 1921, Serial Number 471,838 may be employed.

The coil 5 is held in the-carrier 6 by an iris diaphragm device described in said copending application and comprising a ring 45 rotatable on the carrier and numerous curved bars 46 each pivoted at one end to the carrier and at the other end to said ring. A strip of spring brass or other suitable metal is bent into a ring 47 and loosely interposed between said bars 46 and the coil 5. This not only protects the film from abrasion by the bars but assists the coil to maintain a circular form even when only a few turns of it remain on the carrier.

Before commencin to project film th operator sets the bra e 30, to an extent as experience suggests, which will cause delivery of the film at the rate required by the feed mechanism 3. This, in conjunction with the regulation afforded by the control device "'36, 37, 39 will frequently enable a film to be completely projected without further attention; but from time to time he observes the'loop 48 between the coil 5 and the projector,'.and if he finds that it tends either to lengthen or shorten he slightly tightens or slightly slackens the brake 30 accordingly.

ll claim:

1. In cinematograph apparatus, the com- I bination with a projector and means for feeding film therethrough, of a carrier for unused film coil, a frictional driving connection between said feeding-means and the carrier tending to drive said carrier to deliver film at a greater rate than the feeding rate, and means to reduce the speed of the carrier.

2. In cinematograph apparatus, the cornice bination with a projector and means for feeding film therethrough, of a carrier for unused film coil, a frictional driving connection between said feeding means and the carrier tending to drive said carrier to deliver film at a greater rate than the feeding rate and a brake for reducing the speed of the carrier.

3. In cinematograph apparatus, the combination with a projector and Ineans for feedin film therethrough, of a carrier for unuse film coil, a frictional drivin connection between said feeding means an the carrier tending to drive said carrier to deliver film at a greater rate than the feeding rate and an adjustable spring pressed brake actin on the carrier. I

4. n cinematograph apparatus, the combination with a projector and means for feeding filmtherethrough, of a carrier for unused film coil, a driving connection between saidfeeding means and said carrier tending to drive said carrier to deliver film at a greater rate than'the feeding rate and, including a friction drive, means operating to reduce constantly the rotational speed of the carrier and a manually adjustable brake for the carrier. I

5. In cinematograph apparatus, the combination with a projector and means to feed film therethrough, of a carrier for unused film coil, variable speed friction gear for driving said carrier with the feeding mechanism, means adapted-to be held in contact with the internal periphery of a film coil on the carrier for governing the variable speed friction gear, and a brake regulating the speed of the carrier in opposition to the friction gear.

6. In cinematograph apparatus, the com.- bination with a projector and means for feeding film I therethrough of a substantially horizontal carrier for unused film coil providing a friction disc, a friction wheel rotated positively with the feeding means and driving said friction disc, contact means adapted to touch the inner periphery of the coil on the carrier, said friction wheel and contact means being together movable radially relatively to the carrier, and a brake for the carrier. I

7. In cinematograph apparatus, the combination with a projector and means for feeding film therethrough, of a substantially horizontal carrier for unused film coil providing a friction disc, a friction wheel rotated positively with the feeding means and.

driving said friction disc, contact means ada ted to touch the inner periphery of the 'coil on the carrier, said friction wheel and contact means being together movable radially relatively to the carrier, means for ap plying force to the friction wheel and com "tact means, tending to modify their radial movement, and a brake for the carrier.

8. In cinematograph apparatus, the combination with a projector and means for feeding film therethrough, of a substantially horizontal carrier for unused film coil providing a friction disc, contact means adapted to touch the inner periphery of the coil on the carrier, said friction wheel and I rotated positively with the feeding means and driving said friction disc, contact means adapted to touch the inner periphery of the coil on the carrier, said friction wheel and contact means being together movable radially relatively to the carrier, and means for restraining outward radial movement of the friction wheel and contact means.

10. In cinematograph apparatus, the combination with a projector and means for feeding film therethrough, of a substantially horizontal carrier for the unused film 0011 providing a friction disc, a friction wheel rotated positively with the feeding means and driving said friction disc, contact means adapted to touch the inner periphery of the coil on the carrier, said friction wheel and contact means being together movable radially relatively to the carrier, and means for restraining outward radial movement of the friction wheel and contact means, and means exerting progressively decreased restraining force as said parts move outwards.

11. In cinematograph apparatus, the combination with a pro ector and means for feeding film therethrough, of a substantially horizontal carrier for unused film coil providing a friction disc, a friction wheel rofluent material pressing on the glunger, and a receiver for the fluent materi into which the latter is dischar ed, as the plungerv is moved outwardly of t e barrel, sald receiver being shaped to cause the fluent material'to tend to flow back to'the barrel.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

EDWARD JOHN WAY. 

